Folding bed and couch



(No Model.) 3

En El 4 FOLDING BED AND COUCH. v

No.570,0'48. Patented 0ot .27,'1 8 96.

WWW: I 5

HMmFLJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND E. PEOK, OF-BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

FOLDING BED AND COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,048, dated October 27, 1896.

Application filed February 25, 1896. Serial No. 580,716. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND E. PECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have in vented an Improvement in Folding Beds and Couches, of which the following is a specification.

In Letters Patent No. 537,785, granted to me April 16, 1895, a bed is represented in which the side portions of the bed can be sustained upon a level with the center portion of the bed, or the same can be swung downwardly out of the way when the article is used as a couch or a lounge.

The present invention is an improvement upon the same, whereby the parts are rendered more simple, compact, and strong.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view at one end of the bed with one side swung down. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the bed-bottom and an elevation from the inside of the head of the bed. Fig. 3 is a side view at one end, partially broken open, representing the positions of the arm or end piece; and Fig. 4.- is a rear view of one of the frame-bars. I

The two end frames are alike. One of them is shown at A, and these may be at any desired distance apart. Each end frame A is made with the leg portions 1, the cross-rails 2, and the vertical bars 3, and at the upper ends of the legs are the joint-blocks 4, that unite the end frames with the an gle-iron bars C of the bed-bottom, and there are tapering projections 5 upon the angle-bars, that pass into similar-shaped recesses inthej oint-blocks 4t and wedge tight, and the parts can be separated by lifting the angle-bars O and the tapering lugs 5 out of the joint-blocks 4; after separating the frame-bars B, next described. These frame-bars B extend down from the angle-bars O and are made as brackets, so as I to connect outwardly to the end frame by the bolts 6 and inwardly to the longitudinal angle-bars E, which determine the length of the bed, as they extend from the frame-bars at one end to the frame-bars at the other end, and these longitudinal angle-bars F are at a sufficient distance below the angle-bars O for the spring bed-bottom to be entirely above them and not to come into contact with such longitudinal angle-bars by the weight of the person upon the bed or couch.

Any suitable bed-bottom may be made use of. I have shown the crossing slats D, that are to extend from the angle-bars O at one end to the similar angle-bars at the other end, and there may be helical springs intervening, as shown at 7, and similar crossing slats D and springs maybe used in the side portions of the bed, that are fitted to turn down, as next described.

The angle-bars E and E are hinged at 8 to the ends of the angle-bars O, and these bars E and E are connected at their outer ends by corner-pieces and angle-bars G, so that the side sections of the bed can be raised up level with the central section, or they can be swung down out of the way when the article is used as a lounge or couch.

There is a pawl I, pivoted upon each of the angle-bars E E at 9, and the four pawls are similarly constructed. Each pawl is made with a latch portion 10 engaging a pin 11 or projection upon the frame-bar B, and there is a spring K, that is connected at one end to the bar G and at the other end to the latch, tending to pull the latch toward the pin or projection 11, and upon the side of the latch is a flange 12 adjacent to the projection 13, and the extreme end 14 is curved downwardly, so that when the side section of the bed is raised above its normal position the inclined end let lifts the latch until the flange 12 comes above the projection 13, so as to hold the latch out of contact with the pin or project-ion 11, while the section of the bed-bottom is swung down into a vertical position and out of the way. These parts are generally similar to those shown in the aforesaid patent.

A hook L is pivoted at its back end upon the frame-bar B, and when the section of the' bed-bottom is swung down the hook L engages the pin or projection 15 upon the an glebar E or E and holds the section of the bed so that it cannot be swung outwardly or upwardly until the hook has been disengaged.

It will now be understood that the parts of the bed-bottom can be connected together and will occupy a comparativelysmall space when the side sections are folded down, andthe ends of the bed can be disconnected by removing the nuts of the bolts 6 and separating the tapering lugs 5 from the recesses in the joint-blocks 4, thereby allowing for the folding bed or couch being packed into a small space for transportation and the parts are easily put together by the reverse operations, and in consequence of having the hooks L separate from the pawls I there is nothing projecting at the ends or corners above the bed-bottom.

The arm-piece or head of the lounge is preferably made of a frame N, having loops 16, that surround the top rail of the end frame A, and the frame N extends beyond the end frame A when such frame N is laid down upon the surface of the bed or lounge, and the upper side of this frame N is suitably upholstered, usuallyin the form of a roll or pillow, as shown at N, and when the article is to be used as a bed the end frame N is swung up vertically, the loops 1G turning upon the top rail of the end frame, and such frame LT will remain reliably in this position because the weight is outside of the support, but it cannot swing beyond the vertical position because the lower end of the frame N comes into contact with the end frame A of the bedstead. This gives facility for usingthe arm or pillow of the couch as a head-board for the bedstead.

This bedstead is constructed almost entirely of metal, and it is very strong and at the same time comparatively light, and the parts are not liable to become injured in use, and the change can be made with facility from a couch to a bed or the reverse.

1 claim as my invention 1. The combination with the end frames having inwardly-projecting joint-blocks, of the an gle-irons and tapering lugs fitting the joint blocks, frame -bars connected to the angle-bars, and longitudinal connections extending from the frame-bars at one end to the frame-bars at the other end, hinges at the ends of the angle-bars and side frames united by the hinges, latches pivoted at their upper and outer ends to the side frames and engaging projections upon the frame-bars when the side frames are turned up in forming the bed-bottom, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a folding-bed bottom, of angle-bars at the ends, frame-bars extending downwardly from them, and longitudinal connections between the framebars, hinges at the ends of the angle-bars and side frames united by the hinges, pawls pivoted at their outer'ends to the side frames and engaging projections upon the framebars for holding the side sections of the bedbottom when swung up level for use, and a hook for each side frame for retaining it in position when swung down out of use, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a bed-bottom, of angle-irons at the ends, side frames composed of angle-bars and hinges for connecting them to the end angle-bars, pawls pivoted to the side frames, frame-bars and projections for engaging the pawls, springs between the pawls and the side frames, there being curved ends to the pawls for raising them when the side frames of the bed-bottom are raised above their normal position, and flanges upon the pawls passing above projections for keeping the pawls out of action as the side frames are turned down vertically, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 21st day of February, 1896.

E. E. PECK.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, S. T. IIAVILAND. 

